Public concern about the dangers of BPA, or bisphenol A, hasn’t translated into regulatory measures on the part of the Food and Drug Administration, as the agency isn’t yet cracking down on the chemical, which turns up in a few commonly used products and even in receipts.

In 2006, more than 50 scientists and doctors—five nobel laureates among them—wrote an urgent letter to the EPA warning of the dangers of the pesticide methyl iodide. In 2007, the agency approved its use. (more)

The chemical BPA is common in plastic products such as baby bottles and food containers, despite concerns among scientists and environmentalists about its safety. The FDA has defended BPA use and recently turned to an outside panel for backup. That group of scientists, however, ended up criticizing the agency’s guidelines.

Despite spending billions of dollars, the United States is woefully unprepared for an attack involving either chemical or biological weapons, according to a report recently declassified by the Government Accountability Office. The strain of the Iraq war has contributed to problems with staffing, equipping and training the military units expected to respond in the event of such a crisis.

An EPA advisory group votes unanimously to recommend that a chemical used in Teflon and other nonstick products be considered a likely cause of cancer.
Truthdig had a report two weeks ago about the greedy politicos who stymied the phaseout of Teflon.